In a disturbing story, a man was arrested by the FBI in Juneau, Alaska after allegedly stabbing several people aboard a cruise ship. This incident took place aboard Norwegian Encore, with the ship currently sailing a 7-day Alaska cruise from Seattle that departed May 5.
According to a press release from the U.S Justice Department, the man was a South African crewmember on the ship. He was seen by other crew trying to deploy a lifeboat on May 6. The ship’s security intervened and took the man to the ship’s medical center for evaluation.
Once at the medical facility, the man then attacked a security guard and nurse in the examination room. He then entered another room where he attacked a female passenger.
The Justice Department says that the man “grabbed a pair of scissors and stabbed the woman multiple times in the arm, hand and face. He also stabbed two security guards who intervened—one in the head and one in the back and shoulders.”
According to Alaska Public Media, the woman is 75 years old, and the injuries are not life-threatening.
A person claiming to be related to the woman posted on Reddit about what happened:
“My Aunt was feeling ill and went to the infirmary to get some rest and said this dude just snapped and started stabbing. Almost all her wounds are defensive ones, but she did suffer a minor heart attack and they are investigating a possible punctured lung from her ribs, likely due to chest impact from the struggle,” the poster said.
After the incident the man was placed in the ship’s jail and held until being officially arrested in Juneau. He is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon. Authorities say that he will face a penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each offense.
The ship appears to have continued on its journey and is docked today in Skagway, Alaska.
Crime on Cruise Ships: Rare, but Does Happen
Having a situation like this on a cruise ship is rare, but incidents do happen. Cruzely recently reported that there were 47 major crimes alleged on U.S. cruise ships in the first three months of 2024.
Major crimes are required to be reported to the FBI and data is released to the public each quarter. This includes statistics for assaults, homicide, sexual assault, and theft of more than $10,000.
Sexual assault and rape are the most common crimes reported, with 32 incidents in total in the first three months. There were eight assaults with bodily injury (which this incident appears to be).
Keep in mind these statistics cover millions of cruise passengers, meaning the overall incidence of alleged crime on the ship is relatively low. Still, these sorts of stories are disturbing when they do occur.
To learn more about crime on cruise ships, you can read the articles below:
- 47 Major Crimes Were Alleged on U.S. Cruise Ships in the First Three Months of 2024. Here’s What to Know
- Nearly 200 Major Crimes Were Reported on U.S. Cruise Ships Last Year. Here’s the Most Common Offense
